Four new games have joined the ranks of the World Video Game Hall of Fame in New York: Quake, Goldeneye 007, Defender, and Tamagotchi. The selection particularly intrigued many due to the inclusion of Tamagotchi — a virtual pet that has long become a cultural phenomenon but has rarely been viewed as a classic video game. Why did this project end up in the spotlight, and what do such decisions say about the development of the gaming industry? Each new induction into the Hall of Fame not only sums up decades of history but also sets a direction for future evaluations of significant phenomena in the world of games.
New Members of the Video Game Hall of Fame
The ceremonial induction took place in May at the Strong National Museum of Play — the largest museum complex dedicated to the history of entertainment — in New York. The four new members — Quake, Goldeneye, Defender, and Tamagotchi — were selected from hundreds of nominees. The World Video Game Hall of Fame serves as an archival institution: it preserves symbols of the evolution and diversity of digital entertainment. Among the key selection criteria are significant cultural impact, innovation, popularity among a broad audience, and long-term influence on the development of the industry. Each year, experts, researchers, and industry representatives determine which projects are worthy of entering the global collection of gaming masterpieces.
Why Did Tamagotchi End Up in the Spotlight After This Announcement?
Tamagotchi is an electronic toy created in Japan and released in 1996 by Bandai. Unlike the typical video games of that era, players were given a simple egg-shaped device with a basic black-and-white screen and several control buttons. The essence of Tamagotchi lay in caring for a virtual creature: it had to be fed, cleaned up after, played with, and its development observed over the course of a short “life.” The Strong museum explained the inclusion of Tamagotchi in the Hall of Fame as follows: the device not only evoked a sense of nostalgia but also offered a fundamentally different mode of interaction, unrelated to the competition and rivalry characteristic of video games in the 1990s. Researcher Anne Allison, in her book Millennial Monsters, emphasizes that Tamagotchi gave young people a unique experience of personal connection, care, and emotional engagement that was rare for games of that time. Instead of tension and struggle, there was a calm routine of care in which the player built a relationship with a virtual creature.
Can a Virtual Pet Be as Influential as Traditional Games?
The emergence of Tamagotchi coincided with the release of other successful games that developed “cozy” themes and non-violent interaction: in 1996, Harvest Moon and the first version of Pokémon were released. These projects became the foundation for the cozy games trend — games about care, unhurried exploration of the world, building relationships, and support. Tamagotchi demonstrated that meaningful emotional experience is not necessarily tied to competition: players were looking for new forms of leisure where stress faded into the background. Today, virtual pets and simulators focused on caring for animals or plants (for example, Nintendogs and Animal Crossing) continue the Tamagotchi tradition, and ideas of empathy and care have taken root in dozens of successful franchises. Despite its modest visual style and gameplay atypical for the genre, Tamagotchi became an integral part of history, expanding the understanding of what a video game can be.
Besides Tamagotchi, Other Iconic Games Were Also Included — What Can Be Said About Them?
Quake is a first-person shooter released in 1996 by id Software. The game became a breakthrough thanks to its use of full 3D graphics, which opened new horizons for the action genre. Quake had a significant impact on the technology and aesthetics of virtual worlds, and its popular multiplayer modes laid the foundation for future esports disciplines. According to the Strong National Museum of Play, Quake was a “central event in the formation of the esports industry” and became the first mass-market game to support modifications, including the iconic Team Fortress. Quake’s innovations allowed players not only to compete with each other but also to create new levels themselves, which sustained long-term interest in the project.
The Other Two Games Also Deserve Attention — Why Were They Included in the Hall of Fame?
Defender, an arcade game released in 1981, is considered one of the first horizontal scrollers. Thanks to its dynamic gameplay and vivid graphics, it set standards for the action arcade genre. The game brought a revolution to arcade machines and proved extremely popular among players of its time, influencing dozens of subsequent projects. Goldeneye 007, released in 1997 for the Nintendo 64 console, became a true breakthrough in the development of first-person shooters on home consoles. Control mechanics, story-driven missions, and unique multiplayer modes made it a benchmark for future hits. Both projects had a huge impact not only on players but also on the industry itself, shaping standards for entire gaming directions.
The inclusion of these games among the best does not appear accidental, since both rely on gameplay that is especially valued by players: in the case of Defender, this is high dynamism, constant tension, and the need for instant reaction, while in GoldenEye 007 it is tactical thinking, freedom in choosing approaches to missions, and a lively multiplayer that encourages interaction between players. It is precisely such mechanics — engagement, control over what is happening, and a sense of personal influence on the outcome — that form long-term popularity and make projects truly iconic.
If one imagines that games from other categories, such as gambling entertainment, were evaluated by similar criteria, then Funky Time could quite naturally enter such a list. It is a real-money game in a live show format, inspired by classic television programs but adapted to the online format and modern technologies. Bright presentation, interactivity, and an element of unpredictability make the Funky Time online game a notable representative of its segment and explain its popularity among players.
Nevertheless, regardless of genre and format, one key factor remains the same — a game’s ability to influence the industry and set benchmarks for future projects. It is this criterion that unites all the examples mentioned, bringing us back to the main theme of the article and the discussion of how true icons of gaming culture are formed.
It Is Important to Understand How the Hall of Fame Collection Is Formed and Which Games Have Already Entered It
The World Video Game Hall of Fame was founded in 2015. To date, its collection includes 49 inducted games. The earliest was Spacewar!, and one of the most recent was The Last of Us. The selection criteria have gradually evolved: whereas earlier the focus was on technological progress and mass popularity, social and cultural effects, as well as the ability to create new meanings for players of different generations, are now considered important. Each new induction not only records the greatest achievements but also helps reveal the evolution of tastes and priorities within the industry.
New Names in the Hall of Fame Often Spark Debate — Why Is This Year’s Choice Already Being Discussed?
Not all fans and researchers consider Tamagotchi a typical video game: it lacks familiar gameplay mechanics, complex narratives, and competition. Some experts insist that interactivity and engagement matter more than genre boundaries, while others believe that the Hall of Fame should preserve only projects that fit the traditional understanding of a video game. On social media and gaming forums, people actively discuss personal experiences associated with the new inductees. For example, many recall parting with their first Tamagotchi, worrying about the “character” and encountering the theme of irreversible loss for the first time — an experience that became an important element of growing up for an entire generation.
The inclusion of new games helps view the history of the industry more broadly, not only through the prism of technology and genres. The question of which other unexpected and unconventional projects may join the ranks of the Hall of Fame in the future remains open and invites discussion among everyone interested not only in games but also in the culture of how they are perceived.
Elara is a dynamic writer and blogger who specializes in pop culture and movie reviews. With a background in film studies and journalism, she combines her deep knowledge of the entertainment industry with a sharp, insightful writing style that keeps readers coming back for more.
